H7306 H7306
To smell, perceive odor; metaphorically, to delight in or savor
The denominative Hifil verb רִיחַ means to smell or perceive an odor, derived from the noun רֵיחַ ('fragrance, aroma'). Its most memorable use is Gen 8:21, where the LORD 'smelled the pleasing aroma' of Noah's sacrifice — a strikingly anthropomorphic moment that echoes across the ancient Near East. The verb can describe literal sensory perception (Isaac smelling Jacob's garments in Gen 27:27, idols that cannot smell in Deut 4:28) and extends metaphorically to mean 'delight in' or 'savor,' as in Isaiah's vision of the Messiah whose delight (הֲרִיחוֹ) is in the fear of the LORD (Isa 11:3).
Senses
1. smell (literal) — The literal act of smelling — perceiving an odor through the nose. Covers the full range of physical olfactory experience: God smelling Noah's burnt offering (Gen 8:21), Isaac smelling the garments of his son (Gen 27:27), the prohibition against making incense for personal smelling (Exod 30:38), God refusing to smell the offerings of faithless Israel (Lev 26:31), and the idols that 'have noses but cannot smell' (Deut 4:28, Ps 115:6). Multilingual glosses converge on sensory verbs: Spanish 'olio' (smelled), French 'sentit,' German 'roch' — all straightforward olfactory vocabulary. Job 39:25, where the war-horse 'scents' the battle from afar, stretches the physical sense toward keenness of perception. 10×
AR["أَشَمُّ", "بِ-شَمِّهِ", "تَشُمُّ", "تَشُمّ", "ليَشُمَّ", "لِ-يَشَمَّهُ", "وَ-شَمَّ", "يَشُمُّ"]·ben["আমি-গ্রহণ-করি", "আর-গন্ধ-পেলেন", "এবং-গন্ধ-পেলেন", "গন্ধ-নেব", "গন্ধ-নেবে", "গ্রহণ-করুক", "ঘ্রাণ-নিতে", "তারা-গন্ধ-পায়", "সে-গন্ধ-পায়", "স্পর্শ-করলে"]·DE["[אריח]", "[יריח]", "als-es-smells", "ich-wird-smell", "lass-ihn-smell", "sie-smell", "und-roch", "zu-smell"]·EN["I-will-smell", "and-smelled", "it-smells", "let-him-smell", "they-smell", "to-smell", "when-it-smells"]·FR["et-sentit", "ils-smell", "je-fera-smell", "quand-il-smells", "que-lui-smell", "sentir", "à-sentir", "יריח"]·heb["אריח", "ב-הריחו", "ו-ירח", "יריח", "יריחון", "ל-הריח"]·HI["और-सूँघा", "और-सूनघा", "वह-सूंघता-है", "सूँघते-हैं", "सूँघने-को", "सूँघने-पर-उसे", "सूँघूँगा", "सूँघे", "सूंघूंगा"]·ID["Aku-akan-mencium", "Aku-mencium", "Dan-mencium", "biarlah-Dia-mencium", "dan-mencium", "ia mencium", "ketika-mencium", "mencium", "mereka-mencium", "untuk-mencium"]·IT["[אריח]", "[יריחון]", "a-smell", "e-smelled", "essi-smell", "esso-smells", "io-fara-smell", "lascia-lui-smell", "quando-esso-smells"]·jav["Kawula-mambu", "Kawula-ngganda", "lan-ngganda", "lan-panjenenganipun-ngambet", "mambu", "mugi-nampeni", "nalika-mambet", "ngambet", "piyambak-ipun-ngambu", "supados-ngambu"]·KO["그것이-맡는다", "그리고-냄새를-맡았다", "그리고-맡으셨다", "나는-맡을것이다", "내가-향기를-맡지", "냄새-맡는", "냄새를맡으시기를", "맡기-위하여", "맡으며", "맡을-때-그것이"]·PT["E-cheirou", "ao-cheirar", "cheiram", "cheirarei", "cheire", "e-cheirou", "fareja", "para-cheirar"]·RU["буду-обонять", "вдыхаю", "да-обоняет", "и-обонял", "когда-чувствует-она", "обоняют", "чтобы-обонять", "чует"]·ES["Y-olió", "cuando-huele", "huela", "huele", "huelen", "huelo", "oleré", "para-oler", "y-olió"]·SW["Na-akanusa", "ananusa", "anuse", "inanusa", "kufurahia", "kunusa", "na-akanusa", "nitanusa", "nusa", "unapohisi"]·TR["-de-kokladığında", "Ve-kokladı", "koklamak-için", "koklar", "koklarlar", "koklarım", "koklasun", "koklayacağım", "ve-kokladı"]·urd["اور-سونگھا", "اور-سونگھی", "سونغنے-پر", "سونگھتے", "سونگھنے-کو", "سونگھوں-گا", "سونگھے", "وہ-سونگھتا-ہے"]
2. delight in (metaphorical) — A metaphorical extension where 'smelling' becomes 'delighting in' or 'savoring' — taking pleasure in something with the deep, instinctive immediacy that smell evokes. Used in Isa 11:3 of the Messiah's delight in the fear of the LORD (וַהֲרִיחוֹ בְּיִרְאַת יְהוָה). The Spanish 'su deleite' and English 'his delight' abandon all olfactory vocabulary, confirming the fully metaphorical shift. This single occurrence captures a beautiful semantic bridge: the same verb used of God savoring Noah's sacrifice now describes the Messiah savoring reverence for God. 1×
AR["وَ-بَهْجَتُهُ"]·ben["ও-তার-আনন্দ"]·DE["[והריחו]"]·EN["and-his-delight"]·FR["[והריחו]"]·heb["ו-הריחו"]·HI["और-उसका-आनन्द-होगा"]·ID["Dan-kesukaannya"]·IT["[והריחו]"]·jav["Lan-kasenenganipun"]·KO["기믭하리라"]·PT["E-deleitar-se-á"]·RU["и-благоуханием-ему"]·ES["Y-su-deleite"]·SW["Na-atafurahi"]·TR["ve-zevki"]·urd["اور-خوشی-ہوگی-اُسے"]
Related Senses
H8081 1. oil (substance) (180×)G2309 1. want, desire (166×)H3196 1. wine (fermented grape juice) (141×)G0025 1. to love actively (133×)H0157 1. love (verb, active Qal) (129×)H8055 1. Qal: rejoice, be glad (123×)H7453 1. neighbor, fellow man (120×)G0026 1. of love (115×)H1058 1. Qal: to weep, cry (112×)H0954 1. to be ashamed, feel shame (Qal) (95×)H8057 1. joy, gladness, delight (90×)H2781 1. disgrace, shame, dishonor (68×)G2307 1. will, desire, purpose (63×)G5463 1. rejoice, be glad (63×)G0027 1. beloved (61×)H8130 1. Qal: to hate, detest (60×)G5479 1. (59×)H1706 1. honey (54×)G1680 1. (53×)H4682 1. unleavened bread/cakes (53×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [רִיחַ] vb. denom. Hiph. (?), smell, perceive odour;—Impf. 3 ms. יָרִיחַ Jb 39:25, יָרַח 1 S 26:19 + 2 times; וַיָּ֫רַח Gn 8:21; 3 mpl. יְרִיח֑וּן ψ 115:6, יְרִיחֻ֑ן Dt 4:28, etc.; Inf. cstr. הָרִיחַ Ex 30:38, etc.;—smell, c. acc. Gn 8:21; 27:27 (JE), 1 S 26:19; abs. Dt 4:28 ψ 115:6; metaph. בַּהֲרִיחוֹ אֵשׁ Ju 16:9, יָרִיחַ מִלְחָמָה Jb 39:25 the horse scenteth battle; c. ב Ex 30:38; Lv 26:31 (both P); metaph. = delight in Am 5:21; Is 11:3 (prob. dittogr. BrMP 202).